ENGLAND SKIPPER STEVEN GERRARD will take his time before deciding whether or not to step away from the national team.

Rumours had circulated in the direct aftermath of the side’s 2-1 defeat to Uruguay last Thursday that the 34 year-old midfielder would retire but speaking at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro today, Gerrard said:

There is no truth I’ll be making any announcement on my England future in the next week. I need more time than that. I’m still hurting and I’m still broken from what’s gone on over the last couple of weeks.”

The veteran did reveal that he will speak to England manager Roy Hodgson in a number of weeks and inform him of his decision then.

Matt Dunham / AP/Press Association Images Matt Dunham / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

Still raw from his team’s early exit, Gerrard was quizzed about the future and what the group could do differently moving forward.

“The talent is there. I think we have got world-class players and I think we’ve got players with world-class potential. But these tournaments only come around every two years. We’ll have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, Hodgson talked openly about his future with FA chairman Greg Dyke confirming earlier this week that the 66 year-old would remain as manager until his current contract ends in 2016.

We are midway through a term, there’s lot of work to be done, but I think we are on a good path. I am very pleased I am going to be the man leading [the team]. It means a lot because the job means a lot to me. It’s a fantastic job, it’s a privilege to have it. I am very pleased to have had that backing. Scapegoats are always necessary in times of failure, one understands that. But one would like to think the work that you do is judged over a long period of time.”

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